Schedule for timing of lights, switches, zone restrictions

[wbonxx]

It would be great to have the possibility to schedule a time for the ON/OFF behavior of lights, switches and zone restrictions (i.e. for animals).

This would allow the usage of electricity in a rationalized way during the day (i.e. no lights in the kitchen during the night). To balance growing crops when not much power is available.
To move the animals through different zone during the day and have them back during the night.

[b0rsuk]

a LOT of this complexity could be avoided by simply making workbenches only consume power while being used. Wouldn't it be better than a system of switches ?

[Songleaves]

I agree with making workbenches only consume power when you are using them.

[Admiral Obvious]

Nah, I always leave my power saw on, when I'm not planning on using it.

(Yes, powered benches need to just not consume power then not in use. Took me a very long time to realize my sewing bench was actually preventing my batteries from charging  (with a lot of lights on too)).

[b0rsuk]

From realism point of view it perhaps makes sense that some workbenches need to be left on - like cooking stove. There's probably something in the oven or left cooking on small fire. And high tech research bench might be running some simulations.

But from player convenience, "only consume power while a workbench is used" would save A LOT of headache. Then all that would remain would be (sun)lamps that automatically power off at nights.

It would need some rebalancing, because then power use of a typical colony would sharply drop, but it would save so much micromanagement!

[SuperCaffeineDude]

What would be a really really nice touch, is if this was automatic, i.e walk into a room turn the light on, go to an appliance switch it on, before using it and vice versa on exit.

So that could boil down to vacant rooms providing no light default, onTriggerEnter{ Lights On },  onTriggerExit{ Lights Off } (acceptation being UV Lights), and appliances switching on and off during use. Even turrets could justifiably be in standby mode, but that's probably a little OP.

[b0rsuk]

Turrets are a fine dillema - you either leave them on and have protection from drop pods, infestations and prison breaks, or you invest in switches. You pay power for their vigilance.

[billycop32]

I think that all benches but the high tech research, the electric smelter, and the crematorium should not consume power when not in use.

and yeah turning a turret off needlessly is asking for trouble, and a standby mode would be the equal of that(unless we had a emergency mode command like Jurassic park, operation genesis.)

[SuperCaffeineDude]

Well I mean being omni-aware there's nothing for the turrets to be vigilant for, I'm just saying in reality it's likely the power drains would be different when its not using identification and targeting algorithms, as it would probably spend most of its life in a less intense setting observing for movement/heat-signatures, like how you're mouse movement wakes a computer.

But mostly I'm all about the lights, just given their situation, it'd be nice to see efforts on the colonists part to be frugal. I'd suggest with room triggers activated by awake units, which could suggest the lights are on motion activated timers, or that the colonists have set up light switches.

The workstation would be nice, but I've got to be honest, I don't think I've ever noticed the drain by the time I have the workstations and electrical power network in place.

[wbonxx]

My impression is that a major problems are the light, expecially the one that use a lot of energy.
Could still be organized with switches. But it feels stupid having to do it manually in the morning and in the evening. Could be handy to have a timing option associated to the switch so that colonist could do the flicking by themself at a defined time.

Cremating cadavers doesn't happen too often, can be switched on manually.